Sabrimala review plea: Kerala Minister P Rajeev says, "Opportunity to constitute a new constitutional bench"

The apex court is scheduled to take up over 6 review and writ petitions today concerning its September 2018 verdict that allowed women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.

Speaking to reporters here, Rajeev said, "Earlier, the direction on the review petition was to constitute a constitution bench to review the earlier verdict. This is only an opportunity to constitute a new constitutional bench to review the existing verdict. After that, we can discuss what is to be done on the basis of the directions of the Supreme Court."

A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant will hear the matter. In 2019, a constitution bench led by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi had referred the pleas to a seven-judge Bench without staying the 2018 judgement.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged loss of gold from artefacts at the Sabarimala temple reached the hill shrine on February 12 to collect fresh samples as part of ongoing scientific analysis.

The team, led by Superintendent of Police (SP) S Sasidharan, arrived at Pampa, the base camp, in the morning and proceeded to Sannidhanam by afternoon. The move follows the Kerala High Court's approval on Monday to collect new samples for examination. As per the temple schedule, Sabarimala will open for the monthly pooja at 5 pm on Thursday and close on February 17 at 10 pm.

The SIT is expected to collect the samples after the temple closes for the day, following completion of various poojas at the Sannidhanam. The Sabarimala gold theft case concerns allegations of the misappropriation of approximately 4.54 kilograms of gold from sacred temple artefacts, including the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frames and Dwarapalaka idols. The theft allegedly occurred in 2019 under the pretext of refinishing and re-gold-plating temple structures.

The controversy traces its origins to a 1998 donation by industrialist Vijay Mallya, who donated 30.3 kilograms of gold and 1,900 kilograms of copper for gold plating and cladding at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple. Subsequent inspections and court-monitored inquiries revealed discrepancies between the donated gold and the quantity allegedly used. (ANI)